


broken wings

by ErjaStark



Series: AUgust 2020 [4]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Angels & Demons, Angst, Crossroads Deals & Demons, F/M, First Kiss, First Meetings, demon Pepper Potts, fallen angel Tony Stark
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-05
Updated: 2020-08-05
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:02:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,393
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25716994
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ErjaStark/pseuds/ErjaStark
Summary: Day 4: Angels & Demons AUHe turns to the only place that looks familiar, not knowing the fate that awaits him inside the abandoned building.
Relationships: Pepper Potts/Tony Stark
Series: AUgust 2020 [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1861330
Comments: 2
Kudos: 25





	broken wings

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Moransroar](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moransroar/gifts).



> This was a lot of fun to write!

* * *

_Fear_. 

Anthony isn’t sure that he’s ever experienced this feeling before... or _any_ feeling for that matter. Until now, he’s always stood above such pitiful things as emotions. He loves humanity, always has, just like he’s been told to do - but he’s never envied them. They are a flawed race and emotions play a big part in that. 

But apparently he’s one of them now, in flesh if not in spirit, and these impressions he experiences all at once leave him wondering how they manage to go about their lives. He doubts that what he’s feeling is the worst of it but it’s already enough to have him panicking, something else he’s never done before. 

He doesn’t know where to go. He’s visited earth before, numerous times, but this area isn’t familiar to him. Or heaven has taken his memories as well as his powers. What Anthony knows is that he’s _cold_ and in desperate need for shelter. 

He’s never been cold, not once in his entire existence. Hate isn’t something he’s been taught but as he makes his way over the field he’s landed on and towards the nearby town, he can’t find another word to describe what he’s feeling towards the coldness seeping into his vessel’s body. 

_Hate_. 

If heaven hasn’t completely abandoned him by now, this should do the trick. But as Anthony continues to stumble, he finds himself not caring about that. He’s already alone and without a purpose, so what does it matter? 

~*~

There is an old church just outside the village. It’s dark and the moonlight isn’t enough for his vessel to make out details but Anthony thinks it to be abandoned. The entire village seems awfully quiet, leaving him to wonder if heaven has chosen this location to show him his place in the universe. 

The doors are thankfully open (it would have broken his spirit to kick them down) and Anthony is free to make his way into the church. His suspicions are confirmed by what he finds, which isn’t much. No one has been here for a long time. 

But at least the wind doesn’t hit him quite as hard and the sacred walls protect his tired body from the cold. He’s too exhausted to travel any further. He’ll have to find food and water in the morning if he plans on continuing his journey. Besides, sleeping in here will give him a weak illusion of his actual home. 

A home he no longer has access to. 

Anthony makes his way deeper into the church, his curiosity getting the better of him. There is something… of about this place and it isn’t simply because it’s been abandoned and left to its demise. He swears that he can feel someone else, or rather something else, nearby. It could be an animal, but he isn’t sure.

“Lost, are you?”  
  
He turns around sharply, his hand raised and ready to attack if the need arises - and the sight he’s met with does nothing to calm him down. 

A woman is standing in front of him, in a spot he had occupied just moments before. The suit she’s wearing is neither appropriate for the weather, nor for their current location. She looks good, more than good, but her outer appearance isn’t distracting enough to fool him. A mere human would look at her and think nothing more of it but Anthony knows. He sees. 

A demon. 

“What do you want?” he spits out, sounding way too hostile for an angel with no powers. 

In the past, he wouldn’t have hesitated to attack or at least threaten any sort of demon - but now… now he has nothing to threaten it with. No matter how much he beats up its vessel, the demon won’t feel a single thing. 

“Someone has woken up on the wrong side of the crop field,” the demon says. The smile on her face sends a shiver down Anthony’s spine but he stands his ground, refusing to back down. “But I see that it hasn’t spoken your spirit. Admirable.”

There must be something wrong with his vessel because the warm feeling erupting inside his chest at her words isn’t Anthony’s doing. He’d never feel good about a demon complimenting him. Never. He knows better than to believe even a single thing this one says. 

“Leave me be. I’m no threat to you, which you’re already aware of by the looks of it. What do you want to do? Kill me?” A bitter laugh escapes him. “Go ahead but don’t think that you’re going to upset anyone up there. No one cares.” His gaze falls away from the woman and onto the floor. “No one.”

Anthony doesn’t hear the demon approach, doesn’t notice anything until there is a hand under his chin, lifting his head and forcing him to look back at her. There isn’t any sympathy in her eyes but there is no satisfaction either. That surprises him. 

“Do you see now?” 

The calm and soft voice with which the demon speaks makes him frown. 

“What do you mean?”

“The lies.”

“I don’t understand.”

The demon looks at him for a moment longer before pulling her hand back, an almost disappointed sigh leaving her mouth. He doesn’t understand what’s happening but the fact that even a second has passed in which he didn’t want to throttle the creature in front of him is already enough reason for him to be concerned. 

“I have an offer for you.” 

“Not interested.” 

Does she think him to be stupid? He’s been banished. He hasn’t lost his mind. 

“Are you sure? I can help you get back everything you’ve lost.” Her words sound tempting, they do. That’s the problem with these damned demons. Anthony doesn’t say anything, only continues to stare at her even while she wraps an arm around his neck and pulls him closer. “And all I want in return is one small thing.”

“My soul,” he says in a cold voice as he tries to pull away from her, fiercely ignoring how good her touch feels, how it seems to return some warmth to his body. “I’m not giving you-”

“That’s not what I want,” the woman says, a grin spreading across her face. She digs her nails into the back of his neck, forcing Anthony to bite down on the inside of his cheek to keep quiet. “Even though an angel’s soul would be a handsome price. But no. You see, all I want in return is a small favour.” 

A favour. That’s it. That’s all she wants. All of a sudden, he understands why so many humans make deals with these creatures. They make it sound so easy, make such tempting offers that are nearly impossible to decline. They know how to talk, find themselves the best vessels around to aid them in their mission. 

But he is no human. He’s more than that, so much more. He’s fought demons like this one for as long as he’s existed. He knows better. He should know better. He _does_ know better. And yet… 

“You promise that I’ll get it all back?”

He won’t accept. 

“Everything.”

He’s going to say no.

“And all you want in return is a favour?” 

He should say no,

“Just one.”

But he doesn’t belong here. He belongs up there with his brothers and sisters. There is no way for him to convince them of that though. Not anymore. Not without help. No human will be of any use to him. They have accomplished a great deal but this mission isn’t one they can take on. 

Only one creature can. 

“Alright.”

“We have a deal?”

“We have a deal.” 

It’ll be fine, Anthony tells himself. As soon as he’s home, he’ll have the means to keep this demon away. He’ll have his power back and the help of his brothers and sisters. There won’t be anything she can do to force him to keep his word. 

As the demon pulls his head down to press their lips together, sealing the deal they’ve just made, he feels her grinning against his mouth. It’s hard to concentrate on such small details since his vessel seems to be unaware that this kiss isn’t one born out of pleasure but Anthony is sure that she’s smiling. 

Maybe he should have thought this through a little more. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading. Kudos and Comments are appreciated!


End file.
